Improving the Quality of Care

One component of reform is the shift to link reimbursement with quality and patient satisfaction. It raises questions for providers about how to achieve high quality care with fewer resources.

This has major implications for improving patient health through the facilities we design. In this series, we discuss aspects of design and operations that improve the quality of care delivered to patients in the hospitals with which we work.

In an era of increased emphasis on patient choice and satisfaction, several design elements can lessen the “dread factor” associated with Women’s imaging services. We discuss optimal scenarios for waiting areas, consult spaces, and circulation design.

Post-discharge infections are an increasingly expensive risk. Here we review architectural techniques to reduce the potential for HAI transmission through the design of hand hygiene stations, integral blinds, and virtual rounding.